Australia has set a pathway to transition the National Electricity Market (NEM) into a modern energy system fit to meet the country’s net-zero future. The post-2025 NEM electricity market is designed to replace existing coal-fired generation by an expanding array of new technologies, including large-scale renewable energy generation and storage systems, complemented by rapid growth in consumer-side distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar PV, battery energy storage systems, EV charging, and controllable loads. This session presents insights from implementing Itron’s DERMS solution to facilitate Low Voltage Network operations with a rapidly expanding portfolio of distributed energy resources.

Over the last 15 years, electricity providers have invested considerably in grid modernization, and there are now over 130 million smart meters nationwide. During this panel session, we will dive into Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) research on whether consumers are engaging with the electricity usage information delivered by smart grid technologies and whether they are generally seeing the benefits promised by grid modernization. Using a nationally representative survey of 1,500 consumers as a foundation, we will explore a variety of key metrics impacting customer satisfaction and discuss real-world examples of how to improve the customer experience. From new AMI rollout communications to DER program enrollment for hard-to-reach customers, attendees will learn how real-time data, load disaggregation data, and other grid edge data can help engage more customers.

The future of the smart grid depends heavily on engagement from consumers. As the utility has an increased need to understand and respond to impacts on the grid in real time, utilities must better design programs that take into consideration the needs of consumers in unprecedented ways. In addition, the utilities must engage customers in more meaningful ways and meet them where they are. Join industry experts in customer experience as they paint a vision of what this future looks like through the adoption of new grid edge applications.

Distribution system constraints mean that delivering energy for large, location-specific, new medium & heavy-duty fleets is a big challenge for utilities. Join us for key project learnings resulting from an electric school bus depot in the Bronx in which the customer, in collaboration with ConEd, leveraged load management technologies to speed up EV adoption. In addition, learn about how utilities can capitalize on their investments in grid-edge technologies to help energize fleets at scale throughout their territories.

The emergence of new technologies is driving significant variations in capacity requirements across the grid. Some regions are experiencing a surge in solar PV installations, electric vehicle adoption, and building electrification while others remain relatively stable. This session will delve into the integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) into the load forecasting process, bridging the gap between the distribution system and IRP forecasts.

Itron’s commitment to sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices is core to how we create a more resourceful world. We have a holistic approach to sustainability, which is embedded in all areas of our business. Our solutions help our customers and end users save energy and water resources. Come see how the solutions you are already using are helping you on your journey to be more sustainable and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You will also learn how our new solutions can further accelerate your sustainability initiatives. 

Come hear PG&E  talk about their “Socket of the Future” initiative and how it is driving a fundamental change in the way PG&E thinks about when, where and why to invest in the capabilities of their AMI system. This session will provide an overview of the specific use cases that are driving this change, including their EV Connect program and PG&E’s vision to deploy Riva meters and Distributed Intelligence applications on a use-case driven basis.

Part of improving Customer Experience includes taking effort out of interactions and allowing our customers to get more value out of the relationship with Itron.  We appreciate the feedback that customers provide and want to ensure you know that we are listening.  Attend this session to learn about some of the top initiatives to address key improvement areas pointed out in our annual survey. This session will focus on delivery, lead times and response times for quotes and contracts.

Part of improving Customer Experience includes taking effort out of interactions and allowing our customers to get more value out of the relationship with Itron.  We appreciate the feedback that customers provide and want to ensure you know that we are listening.  Attend this session to learn about some of the top initiatives to address key improvement areas pointed out in our annual survey. This session will focus on support, RMAs and software quality.

As homeowners and businesses increasingly adopt distributed energy resources (DERs), or behind-the-meter assets, the need for asset visibility at the grid edge is increasingly important. The digitalization of electricity demand and supply is possible when ADMS and DI are integrated. In this session, you’ll learn how utilities are extending energy orchestration to behind-the-meter assets and enabling these grid assets when and where they are needed. This session will allow you to hear about the key challenges that utilities face today due to lack of visibility; learn how ADMS plus DI enables grid operators to gain greater situational awareness and real-time insights, with key measurements, notifications, and events like downed wires; and understand how this integration delivers value to customers across multiple business units, whether through infrastructure investment, grid planning and operations or asset management.

Having a massive amount of data available at your fingertips through grid edge intelligence solutions is amazing, but understanding and applying it to glean insights is where the most value is obtained. But how do you transform that data into those insights? Learn how you can wade through volumes of data to inform effective planning, engineering and operations, and provides data accuracy, ensuring you make informed decisions and navigate a transforming grid with confidence. From present-day operations to future-focused planning, hear how utilities are empowered to adapt to evolving demands and a changing energy landscape using advanced analytics, seamless integration and a scalable approach. 

Identifying and resolving grid issues quickly and efficiently can be a challenge. To address these challenges, grid edge data and operations data are combined to build a unified model that eases the integration and utilization of data from the edge (behind-the-meter) to the core (grid control room). Hear how utilities are employing innovative data fabric technology and grid data to operate and orchestrate the distribution grid in real-time to enable reliability and resiliency for end users. During this session, you will gain an understanding of the value of real-time data insights for utilities and grid operators; explore ways utilities and partners are addressing grid operations challenges brought about by renewable energy generation and behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs), such as customer-owned solar, EV charging infrastructure, or battery storage; and discuss the potential evolution of this unified approach as it relates to navigating and improving the grid in real time. 

In pursuing a zero-carbon footprint, utilities must harness a proliferation of intermittent resources like solar and wind. To efficiently operate a grid with intermittent resources, utilities will require a combination of peak management, load shifting, time-varying rate design and end-user engagement (collectively known as “Grid Flexibility”). Join this presentation that addresses the problems you are trying to solve, describes how it is being solved and everything in between! Fort Collins Utilities will explain their mitigation strategies for “duck-curve” management, solar off-ramp and underutilized overnight wind by implementing Grid Flexibility programs with a variety of equipment, like thermostats, load control switches, grid-interactive water heaters and EVs.

Marketplaces exist everywhere – from online e-commerce to brick-and-mortar retail stores – and are a proven model for the efficient mass-scale distribution of products and services. As energy executives around the world work to build new business models that both support and mitigate the risks of distributed energy resources (DER) like solar and electric vehicles, Itron’s RIVA DI platform has the same intent, potential and value. This session will explore how utilities can develop new and innovative services that transform real-time data directly from the meter into cost-effective DER services. 

Having a traditional Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) enables a utility to execute control on a transmission grid. What happens when an ADMS or Grid   DERMS integrates with an Edge DERMS? Who controls activity, the Grid DERMS, the Edge DERMS or a concert of both systems? This session will explore the use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in harmonizing the activities of both systems.